Pakistan’s ruling coalition to reinstate deposed judges

Xinhua Islamabad, April 15 (Xinhua) The heads of Pakistan’s ruling coalition parties Tuesday reiterated their commitment to reinstating judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf in November, a coalition spokesman said. Asif Ali Zardari, co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif as well as leaders of other parties pledged to reinstate the deposed chief justice and 60 senior judges, coalition spokesman Farhatullah Babar said.

In a joint declaration signed March 9, the coalition parties agreed to restore the judges within 30 days of the formation of the new government, but media here say differences persisted within the coalition over the issue.

The new government was sworn in March 31.

“There is no doubt. The judges will be restored through a parliamentary resolution under the earlier declaration by the coalition leaders,” Babar told reporters.

The spokesman did not say when the resolution would be moved in parliament and what would be the procedure for the judges’ reinstatement. Xinhua